Anime, Tech, Advice, & Vlogs

Why I Now Want a Nintendo 3DS

When Nintendo released its next generation hand-held gaming console, the Nintendo 3DS, back in March, I was intrigued. 3D without the glasses seemed like a pretty cool concept. So I went to a nearby Target to give it a test run. Yes, the effects were pretty cool, but that alone wasn’t going to sell me the DS. And at an initial cost of $249.99 (what a Wii cost when it first was released), me owning one wasn’t a top priority at the time.

What the 3DS needed was games.

And by games, I don’t mean those lousy launch titles. I talking the big names: Mario, Zelda, and Sonic.

First, Nintendo gave us some ported games, now in 3D. We got The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and StarFox 64 3D. Okay, so bringing back some classics with a little pop won’t hurt, but still…

Nintendo experienced such a rocky start with the device, they made the strategic move to slash the price. Significantly. What was $249.99 is now $169.99. Now that’s more like it!

At least it seems like we’re heading in the right direction.

Well now that we’re officially in holiday shopping mode 2011, Nintendo and other publishers have brought out the goods that will surely sell more devices, even to me. Here are those 3 games…

Super Mario 3D Land

Just the name of this game sounds epic. I have been, and always will be, a Mario fanatic. I was a later generation; my first Mario experience was Super Mario 64 for the N64, but that was one of the best video games of all time. Not a bad start.

But I digress, by the looks of the clips I’ve seen, this game radiates freshness along with nostalgia. I always thought Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 were fantastic games, but there was something about them that seemed off. I realized that they felt like, in a sense, spin-offs since they explored worlds other than the world of Mario. Don’t get me wrong, Isle DelFino and space are awesome, but my N64 roots wanted nourishment!

Well this game, to my pleasant surprise, brings Mario back to the world of… well, Mario. And even his famed tanooki suit has returned! (PETA can stay out of this, please). But we also have a fresh story, and new worlds, but at least the game feels more like a sequel to Mario 64. That’s because it feels like it continues in Mario World where 64 left off.

The graphic potential of the 3DS is fully displayed with this game; Mario has never looked so good in a hand-held game. Colorful and smooth-looking visuals… and not to forget it’s in 3D!

I wantneed this. Just this game alone would sell me a 3DS.

MarioKart 7

With every new Nintendo console comes another installment of the MarioKart franchise. Hands down, it’s probably one of the best racing franchises out there. And now that it’s on the 3DS, I’m surprised the developers didn’t name it MarioKart 3D.

From my Nintendo collection, I have this to say of the franchise. MarioKart 64 was just awesome. People still play it here in college dorm rooms in 2011 with the same enthusiasm. MarioKart: DoubleDash!! was another of my favorites. What would have seemed like a stupid concept of 2 characters per kart was actually ingenious. MarioKart DS was fun, but a little bland, and MarioKart Wii was good fun, but got boring quickly. So, what will 7 have to offer…?

Anyhow, from a visual standpoint, again we see amazingness. Colorful, smooth… I’m just repeating myself now aren’t I?

Looks like we’ve got some new gimmicks to try out here too. Not only can you race on the track, but you can also in the air and water. For me, I’m not crazy about gimmicks. MarioParty kind of died early due to those.

Looks like good fun nonetheless. And we all have to agree that, like its predecessors, it’s got large multiplayer potential.

Sonic Generations

Oh Sonic, the games you’ve been in. Sonic the Hedgehog infamously made a bumpy transition into 3D, but I personally didn’t think the games were terrible. (There was something about Sonic Heroes that really got me even though everyone else hated it.) But the problem was simple: the Blue Blur lost his roots for a second. Sonic Team needed to make games that focused primarily on Sonic and his best attribute: his speed.

Luckily, recent games like Sonic Rush, Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic Colors show that he’s now heading in the right direction.

Apparently, SEGA finally got the message, and its answer to satisfy the masses was Sonic Generations, a game that is probably even more nostalgic than Super Mario 3D Land.

It’s fast. It’s eye-popping. And you can even play as Classic Sonic!

Since I don’t own an XBOX or PlayStation 3, looks like the 3DS version will have to suffice. But from the looks of the trailer, the game more than just suffices!

Glad to see those classic courses again, Sonic, along with some intriguing new levels as well.

So it looks like a Nintendo 3DS may just be on my holiday wishlist this year. Oddly, Nintendo got off to a shockingly rough start with the new console, but these games should make up for their delay.

Are you excited for any 3DS titles? Planning on getting one? Leave me a comment! (On this post’s page, scroll to the bottom where you can easily log in with a Facebook, Twitter, or WordPress account.)